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A Blistering First Polaris Challenge

Laura Barrell / 22.07.2003

Having arrived at Dalby Forest in North Yorkshire at 2am the previous night, it was with a bleary eyed innocence that I unzipped the tent on Day 1 at 6.30am and took my first look at the Polaris Summer Challenge. The campsite was packed with mountain bikers in seemingly high spirits, music and the smell of bacon pervaded – probably what had lured me out in the first place. Having made a point of trying to find a quiet site for the tent last night - I saw to my dismay behind me a giant Marquee, resembling a Circus Big Top complete with bar and entertainment. So much for sleep then. But first came the hard stuff.

We were started in blocks of 20 at 10 minute intervals, there were plenty of elite types pressing to get to the front, all straining lycra and shining aluminium, then there were the have-a-go\'s at the back, and somewhere in the middle, a couple – on a tandem, laughing nervously. I stuck with the have-a-go\'s.

With 36 checkpoints on my map, the briefing at the start revealed several zero value checkpoints, demanding on the spot route planning. I quickly located the first few checkpoints and my confidence soared - any doubts I had about my first solo navigation exercise were brushed off and I began to enjoy it. The setting was spectacular, sometimes bombing along fast, cool forest tracks, plunging down rapid single track, then up to high open sections where the trees stretched for miles all around me up to the rugged beauty of the moor land. The landscape was further shaped by the unique contours of the strange plateau topped mounds like Blakey Topping all around. Then I was out and along English country lanes that had a Miss Marple\'s England feel to them. A steam train puffed its way through checkpoint 18 and the Vintage Car owners club bowled past me on my way up the lane after. Yes, I definitely had the feel that I was in a TV programme....James Herriot and Nick Berry were everywhere.

Then things started to get a little tougher. The checkpoints were well spread out across the map, some clearly in well contoured areas and had higher scores, but, the nature of this event means you can make it as tough on yourself as you like. I folded the map so I couldn\'t see the harder ones, and planned a realistic route that would get me back within the allotted 7 hours.

This plan almost worked. Apart from the checkpoint 15 drama - which I won\'t go into - my route was successful and took me through yet more awesomely beautiful countryside. The cycling was hard, and hot. The navigation was definitely challenging and checkpoints became more mischievous as the day wound on but I arrived back to base camp, a little burnt and a lot tired – but in good spirits.

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